Whirlpool AWO 3561 washing machine (AWO3561) has a loud thudding noise when spinning

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Apache

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Good evening my learned friends.

Since this forum is the font of all knowledge I will post my washing machine question on here! I have a Whirlpool AWO 3561 washing machine that has a loud thudding noise when spinning.

A little internet research seems to suggest bearings or possibly the dampeners on the drum. I have also bought the Haynes washing machine manual.

To change the drum bearings seems to involve significant stripping down (drum removal etc) and was wondering if anyone had undertaken this before and how much of a job it had been.

It's one of those jobs that I can't see would be worth paying someone to do, to fit some

 
I have tried a few diy jobs in the past but I am always convinced that those who are trained are better suited to do the job right.

My advise is to get those who know in to do the job, it may be more expensive on first look, but cheaper on reflection.

 
Many moons ago I have replaced bearings on one of our old washing machines...

can't remember the make....

It wasn't too hard...

But I think you were meant to use some special tool to knock the old bearing out and tap the new ones in IIRC? :|

But since then bought decent machine that don't have carp bearings...

Miele are the dogs whatnots when its comes to bearing drum construction..

You pay double the price of your basic machines..

but they last 3 or 4 times longer...

p.s. we do loads of washing... 5 kids (OK 2 are off at UNI now)

but still have double the average family's washing requirement..

As Mrs Special once said "I wash 49 pairs of pants each week"

:eek: :^O:^O:^O

;)

:)

 
TBH it all depends how much someone will do them for, we used to charge around

 
I did a bendix one a couple of years ago. Take the top off and take lots of digi pics. Undo everything connected to the main drum assembly. I had mine in the garage and supported it with a rope wrapped round a beam. Pulled the springs off and pulled the drum assy up and out. Several bolts hold the 2 halves together once split the bearings are easily changed. make sure you get the seals otherwise bearings won't last.

 
I know you say you've googled it, but just to confirm... if the bearings are gone then it usually sounds like you are washing bricks!
Not until the bearings have collapsed. You can, if you're lucky, have the bearings just wear which will start out as a drone\slight clanking. Further use will cause the bricks in a cement mixer effect and then the lot is knackered.

 
Thanks for the suggestions!

GH - I completely take your point, but there is a limit to how much I would invest in a 6+ year old washing machine.

SL - We have a Miele at work and it gets some abuse. Don't have the money for one of those at home. Mind if you have to get the Miele engineers out that really does cost you!

Lurch - I have a lot of tools and do enjoy this sort of thing. I wouldn't get the cheapest no brand one, something around

 
Hmm, if it sounds like you're washing bricks then be prepared for the worst!

 
We had one like that years ago (bricks, that is)Ended up on the scrap heap as the yoke was f'd as well
******. The problem is we put it on when I go to bed (use the economy 7) so I'm sound asleep by the time it spins. I take a bit of waking so no real idea how long it has been going on. Last couple of weeks the gf has noticed it.

 
******. The problem is we put it on when I go to bed (use the economy 7) so I'm sound asleep by the time it spins. I take a bit of waking so no real idea how long it has been going on. Last couple of weeks the gf has noticed it.
Well if it has been going for a while then what tends to happen is the insides of the bearings fall to pieces. This causes 2 problems, firstly the shaft starts to wear which means the new bearings don;t fit properly so you may also need a new shaft. Because of all the wearing the inner drum will rub on the outer drum and the element which usually sits in the bottom of the void between the 2 drums so you may need a new element and\or outer drum either soon or at some point. Also if the bearings have collapsed then there's a chance that removing them will be an absolute *****.

As I say, worst case scenario, might be lucky, but I used to get an even mix of all ranges of the above, some got repaired, some weren't worth the effort. After several years of trouble free running it's sometimes worth just cutting your losses and getting rid. Might be worth stripping the old one down before deciding what to do.

 
TBH it sounds like you're not going to lose anything if it is f'd,, just a couple of hours.

If you find its not too bad then you go ahead and fix it; if not, well you'd have had to buy a new machine anyway.

Luckily our latest machine (indesit) has only needed brushes, belts and a speed controller pcb, the PCB was the most recent and nearly confined it to the scrap yard in the sky, but I managed to get one for 35 quid off eBay !

 
Avoid Indesit (identical to Hotpoint), one of the worst machines out there. I would say that is quite unlucky TBH, my Bosch hasn;t needed anything in 5+ Years.

 
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